Pacific Dunes

Tom Doak opened Pacific Dunes in 2001, the second course at Bandon Dunes Resort and still the highest-ranked of the resort's five 18s. Doak used the ocean frontage with an unorthodox routing that includes four par-3s on the back nine, holes that seem to emerge from the landscape rather than imposed on it. Rumpled fairways, rolling greens, and grotesque bunkers set in rugged dunes define the aesthetic. Golf Digest ranks Pacific Dunes 2nd on America's 100 Greatest Public Courses (2025-26), a position it's held nearly every ranking since 2015, with a stretch from 2007-12 at #2 as well. GOLF Magazine places it #35 on Best Course in the World (2025). Top100golfcourses.com ranks it #26 in the world and #13 in North America. For many golfers, this is the single finest public-access round in America, and the reason a Bandon Dunes trip is a bucket-list pilgrimage rather than just a links-golf vacation.